Method of making pens



lkml.' 16,1343. i JQA. SHEA l 2,313,777

METHOD oF MAKING PENS l Filed Maron 21, .1940 2 sheets-sheet 2 UPPER -/ES miam m mm L1 mu 111|- ad ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 16, 1943 UNITED NsrA'1Es RATENT oFFlcE 4 m 2,313,777 I.Mirrnofn ,0F .MAKING'PENS E f V John'A. Shea, jerseyr City, N. J.

, Application March 2,1, 1940LSerial No.;325,105- s claims. iol; 1134-32) rEhis inventionrelates to the manufacture of fountain pennibs by l'means oifa lprocess enabling the complete pen to bemadeV from a blank strip-.of metal in a :particular manner without the-hand of :man touchingit. V More particular-,- 1yr-.the objectof this invention is tocomplete the writingtipof the penin iinal writinglcondition whileliit .is -still` an integralA partof; the .metal strip, by operatingupon only/one. lateraledge of the. strip, .the entire remainingportion of the strip. acting to hsupport 'and resistthe forces to Which said lateral edge .has been? subjected. e Generally speaking, sufficient metal'is first cut out alongone edge of the blank strip to leave remaininga `,pen nib from tip to shoulder only end then` the tip. onlyA ofthe niblisprogrssively operated upon to completion of -the,tip, while at the., same time other successive tipslare vbeing progressively vformed to` completion .simultane' ously withthe first tip. It will be recognizedthat. as the 'writingtip of .an fountain pen is `of very small'dimension, and ',because it must be `constructed ,so' asto function as partof an automatic writing instrument; very ne andv `delicate workis labsolutely essential. `4This is especially true when .awing tip orother type of thickened writing tiplis' utilized.

In-morder: to eifect' this verydelicate'wrlr-f manufacturing the tipV it' isE necessary thatftlie tips be well supported'to` prevent wobbling o'r shifting during such `manufacture. V*This* entirely new4 conception of completing all :theoperatlonson the tip of the pen while it is still an integra'l;` part of the strip `offmetal from'which .the penV is to be made, givesY the' veryvital land StripshOWnQinFigure 2, with the devices arnecessary support to` the `tipwhileit is being m'a'de,""and it'is because ofthis that', rfor' the rst time, a completed fountalnpen tip'hasb'een made from a lblank strip of `metal',iwithouti`..the

hand zofv man touching it.

"The E invention ;.will,;be':morea fully described hereinafter,` embodiments thereof shownV inthe drawings, and the invention will 'be nallyfpointed :out in the claims; l, y g 1. il l *Inthefaccompanying drawings:`

variouss'tep by step progressive u steps. :to form af complete pen tip while 'on the metal .strip, and

`.opg-irate upon the edge of :themetalstriportupbn the; points` oi` the nbs, saidldeyices being shown as arranged to operateuporLlthe nibttipssonly; 1;

.11- Figure 3=is afiside-viewlsof.thefblankiofirnetal L ranged in respect thereto;

Figure ,4 is aplanviewof the initial nib tip withthewings in.A a plane andmade in accordance. with station A; t i f l ..Figure.4a is.y atransverse section of Figure 4; Figure .5A shows the nib tips o which the cornersvandedges have been `smoothed and hardened by meansiof thef devicev indicated by station Bthe,corners and edges of,Figure 4 condition being removed," j, l Y

Figuremis a yvertical central section of the wingedtip brought into a V-shaped formation bysthe device of station C, the apex of the V *being indented` ,and ,hardened` by Ycompression atits jface and` being rounded and hardened attheback;l j Figure 7 is a vertical section partly in elevationlooking from the front ends .of the tips, showing the V-shaped formation of Figure 6 brought intoparallel relationship by means of the device of station D and the-tip having been compressed, its `volumehav-ing been reduced and the back `having been indented` e ,'Fig'ure 8 is aside elevation ofFigure 7 showiighow thetiphas beerilformed forwriting eithe'run the face surfaces as indicated, on Fig- -lire 7, or on the back' alsog'since the back ofthe tip ,extendsbelow plane of thebaekof the nib; Figure `9 'isa plan View 'of the winged tips afterthe slitting operation by shearing has been completed wherebythewinged tips are separated from each other and caused to take an askew position, as shown in lFigure, 10,V this, operation takingplace by .station E; Y

VFigure ,10 is a front view of Figure 9; l

Figure 11 'is a top View of the winged tips after 4thewinged tips have been brought together at their tip ends, whereby the slit has been controlled in respect to its width, the slit being no w vin curved form resulting Afrom the operation of station F; ,x

Figure 12 is a front View of Figure 11 showing ffho'w the tips arel nearerqto each other than in lthe'lforrnvo'f Figure 10';

l, Figure V13 is an epa or rfront; viewofth snai pfe'nfwhen 4evened up and a plan view thereof might look like Figure ll and a side View look likelFigur `8,- and m "Figure 14 is a plan AView of the finished pen `shown in Figure 13, the slit being curved about as' shown in Figure i1 butfbeing hidden" by the r positioning of'the wings and-made by stationV G.

Similar characters of referenceindicate corresp'oriding `parts?.throughout;the 'Iva'rious views? The metal of the pen may be of a very hard and brittle nature such as stainless steel, containing about 4% of molybdenum.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figures 3 to 12, the various essential formations of a wing tip pen made by an automatic machine are shown in Figures 4 to 12, and these are the various intermittent results of the operations of station A to station F in Figure 3.

The iirst operation at the station A is to cut out of the metal strip a V-shaped out I5, whereby nib portions i5 remain integral with the blank strip; the well known pierce holes H being provided in the blank prior to this first operation. The blank is also provided with alignment holes l on the opposite edge of the blank strip 2D, these alignment holes I8 being for the purpose of aligning with suitable devices in the stations A to G. As a result of the operation of the station A as just described, wings 2| and 22 are formed at the end cf the nib l5 at vthe tip thereof, and these wings and the nib i3 are in the same plane, they have the sharp and rough corners and edges such as result from cutting out of the metal strip, a wing'tip shape, a transverse section of Figure 4 would show a rectangular shape. The strip is then moved by a step by step movement, so as to move this flat winged tip end shown in Figure 4 to the station B. The device here located operates to smooth the corners and edges of the winged tip, and at the same time hardens the same andV particularly its contour, the smooth and hardened contour being indicated by the lines 23 in Figure 5. This hardened tip with the wings in a flat common plane, is then moved by the next step by step operation of the blank strip over to the station C Where the tip is shaped into a V formation with a hardened rounded bottom 24 and a scored innermost hardened top 25, as shown in Figure 6.

The next step by step movement of the blank strip 2@ brings this V-shaped formation to the station D where kthe wings 2l and 22 of the tip are brought into parallel relationship with each oher and the free but now adjacent ends brought into contact at 26, at vthe upper part of space 21 and the ends 35 and 36 are further hardened and smoothed.

In Figure 6 the rounded bottom or back is indicated by 2li, this is shaped into the part as shown in Figure l, namely, indicated by a rib in the mold acting upon the tip for smoothing the back of the tip. This action and the compression action upon the face ends 35 and 36,

reduces the volume or the metal from that of 1 place which is done by shearing, the shearing extending from the free edges of the tip inwardly of the nib up to the pierce hole l1 as shown in Figure l by the slitv 3B. This shearing action causes the wings 2l and 22 to separate from each other as shown in Figure 9, and also moves the right hand tip 22 higher than the left hand one as shown `in Figure 10. The strip of metal is then again moved in step action so as to bring the tips, having the respective positions of Figures 9 and l0, over to station F.

At station F the tips 2|a and 22a of the tips 2| and 22 are brought toward each other by a suitable manipulation of the metal into the form shown in Figure l1 where the wings incline toward each other and the askew position of Figure 10 is changed into the askew position of Figure 12 which is a front View of Figure ll. At the same time, in the operation of station F, the bending of the tips controls the formation of the slit 39 and its spacing and its curvature Sila as a primary control. According to the inclining of the tips in respect to each other (see Figure 1l), the slit is varied but at all times spaced. The strip 20 is then moved again by the step by step action and the end of the nib, as shown in `Figures 1l and l2, is brought to a station G and here the device at G acts to even the tips so that the face or top edges 35, and 36, and the back edges 31 and 38 are even with each other or in the same plane. This step, however, can be omitted., but is now only mentioned to show that during the stations A to G, the winged tip of a pen is shaped by automatic machinery by a step by step progressive action from the blank strip shown in Figure 4 to the unevened structure shown in Figure 12. Preferably the evening of this uneven structure is intended to be done in the forming stage when the pen islrounded or at completion, as shown in Figure 1 by the legend Form pen and open slot.

I have thus described the operation of the various essential steps in the formation of a pen tip of a Wing pen, which are carried out along one edge of a blank strip, namely at the tip of the nibs of that blank strip, all the rest of the blank strip being unoperated upon excepting only to the extent that parts of the device may clamp and hold the nibs or parts thereof. The nib portions and also the blank portions serve as a strengthening member for the various operations that are being exerted upon the very tips of the nibs. Having formed the essential portions, the remaining portions Yare to cut out the contour of the pen as shown by station H in Figure `1 to form the pen which could be done at station `I of Figure 1 instead of form pen and open slot. The pen is then cut off from the remaining stripas shown in' station J of Figure l.

It is seen that extreme hardening by compression and reduction of volume and shaping or swagingof the tip has been carried out upon an extremely hard material, while the tip is part of the nib and metal strip, such formative actions being possible only on account of the tenacity of the resistance offered by an edge of a iiat strip being acted upon progressively and simultaneously.

The tips resemblev a 4lathe ground pen. By

this is meant that when an iridium pen is being Y made it is in a rough condition or state, and is then ground by means of hand toolsworked on a lathe fed by emery and oil to smooth this roughened condition into a smooth writing instrument. In the, improved steel pen hereinbefore described, a similar smooth writing sur- .face condition is obtained by the action of the compression dies in the mold form which convert the form of Figure 6 to Figure 7. Here, a compression smoothing and swaging action takes place, with the reduction of volume of metal, as is seen from the reduced compressed size of Figure 7 compared to Figure 6.

Reference is made to my two patents,

Numbers 2,195,430, dated April 2, 1940, and 2,208,477, dated July 16, 1940, respectively, and to co-pending applications, Serial No. 321,218, filed Feb. 28, 1940, and Serial No. 321,217, led Feb. 28, 1940, respectively, to issue on the same date herewith, and to my pending application Serial No. 357,926, led Sept. 23, 1940.

I have described an embodiment of my invention, but it will be clear that changes may be made within the principle of the invention described, witho-ut departingr from the scope of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In making of pens from a flat strip body of metal having parallel longitudinal sides and having spaced pierce holes and pilot holes,

wherein said strip is subjected to a plurality of successive operations of dies as the strip advances step by step through the same with all the operations acting simultaneously and while the strip body is held at the pilot holes by the registration of the dies therewith, and in which said strip body at one longitudinal side thereof at one station has suicient metal cut out to leave remaining a pen nib from tip to shoulder only in iiat form in the same plane with the strip body, with said tip having lateral wings in the same plane as the nib, the extended nib being solid and integral with the strip body, the remainder of the strip body remaining longitudinally integral and unoperated upon from the shoulder to the opposite longitudinal side of the strip body; and in which while the nib still remains an integral part of the strip and the remainder of the strip from the shoulder to the opposite longitudinal side of the strip remains unoperated upon, the wings are bent along a line intermediate the same to a V shape, with the V having its apex at the face of the pen and the back of the pen being rounded opposite to the apex; the method which consists in molding said V-shaped wings to substantial parallelism and compressing the same to smooth and harden the writing surfaces of the top and bottom of the Wings under reduction of volume of the wings, and then shearing the metal between the wings along said apex from the tip to the pierce holes to separate the wings, said pen nib operations taking place upon the extended nib at the various stations progressively from station to station but under simultaneous operation of the dies, while the pen nib extends from and is part of the strip body and before the pen body is cut from the strip body.

2. In the making of pens from a at strip body of metal having parallel longitudinal sides and having spaced pierce holes and pilot holes, wherein said strip is subjected toy a plurality of successive operations of dies as the strip advances step by step through the same with all the operations acting simultaneously and while the strip body is held at the pilot holes by the registration of the dies therewith, and in which said strip body at one longitudinal side thereof at one station has suicient metal out out to leave remaining a pen nib from tip to shoulder only in flat form in the same plane with the strip body, with said tip having lateral wings in the same plane as the nib, the extended nib being solid and integral with the strip body, the remainder of the strip body remaining longtudinally integral and unoperated upon from the shoulder to the opposite longitudinal side of the strip body; and in which while the nib still remains an integral part of the strip and the remainder of the strip from the shoulder to the opposite longitudinal side of the strip remains unoperated upon, the wings are bent along aline intermediate the same to a V shape, with the V having its apex at the face of the pen and the back of the pen being rounded opposite to the apex; the method which consists in molding said V-shaped wings to substantial parallelism and compressing the same to smooth and harden the writing surfaces of the top and bottom of the wings under reduction of volume of the Wings, then shearing the metal between the wings along said apex from the tip to the pierce holes to separate the wings, and then evening the wings from any unevenness resulting from the shearing action, said pen nib operations taking place upon the extended nib at the various stations progressively from station to station but under simultaneous operation of the dies, while the pen nib extends from and is part of the strip body and before the pen body is cut from the strip body.

3. In the making of pens from a iiat strip body of metal having parallel longitudinal sides and having spaced pierce holes and pilot holes, wherein said strip is subjected to a plurality of successive operations of dies as the strip ad- Vances step by step through the same with all the operations acting simultaneously and while the strip body is held at the pilot holes by the registration of the dies therewith, and in which said strip body at one longitudinal side thereof at one station has suflioient metal cut out to leave remaining a pen nib from tip to shoulder only in flat form in the same plane with the strip body, with said tip having lateral Wings in the same plane as the nib, the extended nib being solid and integral with the strip body, the remainder of the strip body remaining longitudinally integral and unoperated upon from the shoulder to the opposite longitudinal side of the strip body; and in which while the nib still remains an integral part of the strip and the remainder of the strip from the shoulder to the opposite longitudinal side of the strip remains unoperated upon, the wings are bent along a line intermediate the same to a V shape, with the V having its apex at the face of the pen and the back of the pen being rounded opposite to the apex; the method which consists in molding said V-shaped wings to substantial parallelism and compressing the same to smooth and harden the writing surfaces of the top and bottom of the wings under reduction of volume to the wings, then shearing the metal between the wings along said apex from the tip to the pierce holes to separate the wings, and then bending the tips laterally of each other to widen the space between the wings and contacting the tip of the Wings to provide a curved slit substantially closed at the tip, said pen nib operations taking place upon the extended nib at the various stations progressively from station to station but under simultaneous operation of thedies while the pen nib extends from and is part of the strip body and before the pen body is cut from the strip body.

JOI-1N A. SHEA. 

